Parcel shipping: FedEx Ground rolls out new Florida-based distribution facility
New location features significant improvements in package processing rates
Jeff Berman, Group News Editor -- Logistics Management, 11/20/2009
PITTSBURGH-Taking another step in its national expansion efforts, FedEx Ground officially opened up a new 217,015 square-foot distribution facility in Medley, Florida. This $59 million location is more than double the size of the previous Medley-based location.
FedEx officials said this new facility will provide processing rates of up to 15,000 packages per hour, additional load and unload doors, and more scan tunnels and sorters to better serve its existing customer base in the Miami-Dade country area. And they added that the facility can support more than 340 employees and independent contractors and the company plans to add about 50 temporary positions for the holiday season. These positions are comprised of management, package handling, and administrative jobs.
"There is a lot of increasing business activity in the Miami-Dade country area, and this facility enables us to have the capacity needed to meet that growth," said George Crosby, managing director of the Florida region for FedEx Ground.
In terms of some of the notable improvements at the new facility, Crosby said the package processing rates of up to 15,000 packages per hour represents a more than 100 percent improvement over the 7,000 per hour that were processed at the former facility.
Other improvements include a new state-of-the-art automation system and a sortation system that routes packages to specific destinations and zip codes, according to Crosby.
Shipper benefits: "This facility will provide shippers with more flexibility due to improved processing speed," said Crosby. "It will also provide improvements from a pick up and delivery standpoint, too."
Along with this facility, FedEx Ground has 14 facilities in Florida, including a new Fort Lauderdale-based automated facility and a Stanford-based terminal.
"Our new Miami facility is a reflection of our ongoing commitment to increase size, speed and efficiency of our network," said Bob Holcombe, vice president of the southern division of FedEx Ground, in a statement. "For shippers, the benefit is faster and more efficient movement of their packages through the FedEx Ground network."
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